The Nissan Z33 350Z is one of the most popular sports cars in the world right now. They’re very cheap to buy secondhand and with the right modifications, they provide a huge amount of performance. One of the most important modifications for the 350Z chassis is a set of aftermarket coilovers.
There are a lot of different coilovers and some are quite a bit better than others. To help you find the perfect coilovers for your 350Z, we’ve created this short guide covering our favorite 350Z coilovers.
#1 Stance XR1
It should be noted that this list is no particular order. One of the most popular coilovers kits we offer for the 350Z is the Stance XR1 Monotube Coilovers. These are popular for a few reasons, but the main reason for their popularity is the great blend between price and quality.
Features:
- Inverted Monotube Design
- Front Spring Rate: 12KG/200mm
- Rear Spring Rate: 8KG/175mm
One of the unique features of the XR1 coilovers is the inverted monotube design. The monotube design holds everything in one tube and separates parts with a floating piston. To put it simply, this design makes the XR1 stronger than coilovers which use a twin-tube damper design.
Another great benefit to these coilovers is the fact that it uses a true rear coilover design. Some other aftermarket coilovers use a separate spring and shock design, which is what the 350Z chassis was initially designed for.
#2 ST Suspension
If you want something even more affordable and you don’t mind having a separate rear spring/shock combo, then the ST Suspension X Adjustable coilovers are perfect for you. ST Suspensions is a more affordable brand under the KW Automotive umbrella, meaning you’re getting the best of KW quality at a slightly lower price.
Features:
- Front: 0.8″-1.6″ / 20-40mm
- Rear: 0.8″-1.6″ / 20-40mm
- TUV approved
To help keep the price down while still using high-quality materials, these coilovers do not feature separately adjustable ride height and spring preload adjustments. If you want to decrease your ride height, you must increase spring preload, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, just something you be aware of.
Another feature which these coilovers, unfortunately, don’t offer is adjustable damping, however, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing since it becomes impossible to incorrectly adjust your suspension.
#3 Silver’s NEOMAX
Another very popular and relatively affordable coilover we sell for the 350Z is the Silver’s NEOMAX coilover kit. These a lot of similar features to the Stance XR1 coilovers, including adjustable ride-height, spring preload, and damping, however, they come in at a lower price point.
Features:
- 24 levels of damping adjustability
- Monotube design
- 18 month limited warranty
With 12k springs up front and 8k springs in the rear, plus 24 levels of damping adjustability, these coilovers are great for street or track use. These coilovers also use a monotube design, making them very strong and thermally efficient (important for track use).
These coilovers are also a true coilover in the rear, eliminating the OEM spring/shock design.
#4 TruHart StreetPlus
If you want a coilover system that’s as cheap as possible, to give your 350Z a low ride height without breaking the bank, the TruHart StreetPlus coilovers are perfect for you. Unfortunately, ride quality and damper performance aren’t fantastic with cheaper coilovers, however, you will have a lower ride height and a lower center of gravity.
Features:
- Super affordable
- Monotube design
- Integrated aluminum top mount
Although these coilovers are very affordable, they still use a strong monotube damper design and they also use true rear coilovers instead of the cheaper spring/shock combo. The independently adjustable lower mounts allow you to fine-tune your suspension without sacrificing suspension travel.
#5 Fortune Auto
If you want the absolute best performance without breaking the bank, the Fortune 500 Series is your best option. What’s unique about Fortune Auto coilovers is that they’re built to order and you can customize your coilovers to your needs. This means you can opt for a lower or higher spring rate for your needs.
Features:
- Digressive Pistons
- Customizable spring rates
- Dyno Tuned and Tested
Since the coilovers built to order, your dampers which be adjusted to match your specific spring rate to give you the best performance possible. On top of that, the Fortune 500 series has a whole host of high-quality components and technologies to give them incredible performance, especially for their affordable price.
Lowering Springs vs Coilovers
One of the big challenges with buying aftermarket suspension is understanding the difference between lowering springs and coilovers and deciding which one is better for your needs. While lowering springs are significantly cheaper than coilovers, they don’t offer nearly as much performance.
The only situation where you would benefit greatly from lowering springs is if you just wanted to decrease your 350Z’s ride-height without regard to the performance or ride quality. Lowering springs are going to use a higher spring rate which your damper is not designed to handle.
On top of that, the lower ride height will also put your dampers outside their optimal range of movement, further decreasing ride quality and performance.
On the other hand, aftermarket coilovers are designed to handle the higher spring rates and lower ride height, and many coilovers after a lot of adjustment which allows you to dial in performance to the max.
